Kristi's List: Shoot first and ask questions later

By Kristi Barlette

Updated 6:25 am, Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Facebook feeds were filled Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning with outrage over rumors that the federal government (aka President Obama, according to many) called off the Amber Alert system and took down the website, but left Let's Move! up and running.

Amber Alerts are part of a broadcast plan activated when a child goes missing. Let's Move! is Michelle Obama's campaign to get school-aged children off the couch to curb childhood obesity.

Many people were angry that a helpful, yet far less important, initiative took priority over a site that helps to find runaways and abducted youngsters.

The news was so outrageous that it seemed unbelievable.

Turns out, it was. Sort of. The story being spread wasn't accurate.

Yes, AmberAlert.gov — a government-run site designed to explain how the alerts work — was taken down, but the Amber Alert system was still operating.

Some people tried to point this out on the Amber Alert Facebook page. "Do know that AmberAlert.gov is just a website to provide statistics and information about the Amber Alert system right? The Amber Alert system is still FULLY functional. Take your ridiculous politics elsewhere," wrote one user. His warning was ignored, receiving no "likes" or responses at press time.

Regardless of reality, the perception was that the system — one that's proven to work — was shut down. And the fact is AmberAlert.Gov was immobilized, while LetsMove.gov was not (and there's still no official word on why). Enough people were angered — and vocal about those feelings — that after less than 24 hours the website was restored.

The debate has gone on for years, but the Washington Redskins are trending in the news once again after the Oneida Nation won a meeting with the NFL to discuss the tribe's objection to the continued use of the Redskins name.

For today's poll, we asked: Should the Washington Redskins' name be changed?